Delhi Court Reserves Order On ED Case Against Robert Vadra In Gurugram Land Deal

A Delhi court on Saturday reserved its order on whether to take cognisance of a prosecution complaint filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against businessman Robert Vadra and others in a money laundering case linked to a 2008 land deal in Gurugram’s Shikohpur village.

The Special Court at Rouse Avenue Court reserved its decision after hearing arguments on the charge sheet filed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The court will pronounce its order on April 15.

The ED has accused Vadra, husband of Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and son-in-law of former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, of generating proceeds of crime through a fraudulent transaction involving 3.53 acres of land in Haryana.

According to the agency, he allegedly routed these proceeds through multiple companies he controlled.

Earlier, the court issued notices to Vadra and other proposed accused persons under Section 223(1) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, ensuring they were allowed to be heard before cognisance is taken.

Issue notice to all the proposed accused persons arrayed in the complaint for hearing on the question of taking of cognisance, the Special Judge (PC Act) Sushant Changotra had said in an earlier order.

Details of the Transaction

The ED has alleged that Vadra’s company, Skylight Hospitality Private Limited, acquired around 3.5 acres of land in Shikohpur in February 2008 for Rs 7.50 crore from Omkareshwar Properties Private Limited despite having limited capital. It claims no party made any actual payment and that the sale deed contained false declarations, including references to a cheque that no one issued or encashed.

The agency has further alleged undervaluation of the land, leading to stamp duty evasion under Section 423 of the Indian Penal Code. It has identified Rs 58 crore as proceeds of crime and provisionally attached 43 immovable properties worth Rs 38.69 crore linked to Vadra and associated entities, including Artex and Skylight Hospitality.

The ED has sought a maximum punishment of seven years’ rigorous imprisonment under the PMLA, along with confiscation of attached properties.

IAS officer Ashok Khemka cancelled the land deal in October 2012, citing procedural irregularities. A later government panel gave a clean chit. Officials subsequently registered an FIR.

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